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FrontRangeLiving.com -> Escapes -> Victorian B&Bs
 Victorian Bed & Breakfasts: All The Comforts Of Home
By Heather Grimshaw
A home away from home for travelers on business or holiday, lodging is an
essential element to a successful trip. Overdone décor, a disinterested host,
or a disappointing meal can dampen the spirits of any traveler while a cozy
getaway where hosts welcome you, comfortable rooms beckon, and the aroma of
freshly-baked morsels waken you is a treasure.
Bed and breakfast (B&B) owners across the Front Range count on those
personal details to make a difference for guests. Offering high tea, evening
wine tastings, freshly baked cookies, and period homes that whisk guests to the
Victorian era, B&B owners appeal to those who seek an alternative to the
one-size-fits-all hotel experience. And judging from the fact that some B&Bs
see 7,000 guests a year, they’re hitting their mark.
 Built between 1881 and 1905, give or take a year, historic Victorian B&Bs
are renovated to highlight the era and cater to 21st century demands.
Graceful banisters, built-in bookcases, stained glass windows, and turrets
popular during the time share the spotlight with modern amenities like private
baths with Jacuzzi tubs, walk-in closets, and wiring for telephones, television,
fax, and computers.
Instead of theme rooms, some Victorian B&Bs are focusing on understated
decoration, tearing down walls to create larger spaces and separate entryways.
Instead of finger foods, many offer hearty meals to attract a larger audience.
While historical B&Bs continue to draw history buffs and couples in search
of romance, some have started to tap a larger pool of business travelers who
appreciate the personal touch and convenience offered by B&Bs.
It’s not just the fluffy white robes, fragrant linens, and complimentary
breakfasts that they appreciate. It’s the warm greeting, the suggestion of
restaurants and outings, and the welcoming atmosphere that the older homes
offer. The large fireplaces, wide-planked wood floors, and architectural nooks
and crannies harkens back to Victorian times.
Tom Schmittling was a frequent business traveler who switched from hotels to
B&Bs and decided to open his own after retiring from Mobil Oil. "All
hotels are pretty much the same, but B&Bs are homey. If you get to know the
owners they can become friends, you can have breakfast or dinner with
them." Now owner of The Porter House B&B, an 1898 Queen Anne Victorian
in Windsor, Schmittling and his wife Marni have adopted several business guests
as friends. "Some of these business people have been coming back for years
and years," he says.
The Queen Anne B&B owned by the King Family in Denver is on an overflow
list for business travelers from overbooked hotels, which provides them with
repeat customers. These guests often return to the B&B and bring spouses for
extended weekends. Or, in some cases, meet their spouse at the Inn. It was pure
fate that bumped two business travelers from a neighboring hotel several years
back. Both arrived separately at the Queen Anne for a conference, met in the
lobby, and now return for their wedding anniversary each year.
 Realizing that guests like to mingle, the Kings host Colorado wine
in the lobby every evening from 5 p.m. to7:30 p.m., serve a full breakfast every
morning, and offer picnic lunches for couples who are interested in stepping
across the street to the park for a light snack. "We take special care of
our guests," says Chris King, one of several family owners of the B&B,
which comprises two homes built in 1879. "Once they stay here they usually
don’t go back to a hotel. A lot of things that we do you just don’t get from
a hotel."
Options also exist for décor, say some Front Range B&B owners who have
redesigned their Victorian homes to appeal to a wider audience.
Colleagues agree. "Most of my guy business travelers will tell me they
don’t want frou-frou," says Lisa Kolb, owner of the Lennox House in
Colorado Springs and marketing chair for the Innkeepers of Colorado. As a
result, many B&B owners across the Front Range are decorating at least one
room to appeal to or at least not overwhelm men.
"We keep as close to Victorian as possible without it being too
fussy," says Donna Anderson, who co-owns Victoria’s Keep in Manitou
Springs with her husband Gerry. "We want men to feel comfortable." The
Andersons bought the 1892 Victorian four years ago and have spent the last few
years returning the house to its original state while adding a luxury suite and
updating bathrooms. "We’re trying to get it back to the Victorian period
as much as we can and keep the modern comforts," says Donna.
 Owners walk a fine line between preserving the history of a house and adding
amenities that appeal to guests. But it seems as though the history of a house
is what often stokes romantic fires, in owners and guests alike. "We just
fell in love with the historic district," says Teresa Vila, who co-owns the
Tarabino Inn with her husband. The Inn, which has four rooms, was built between
1904 and 1907 and sits two blocks from Main Street in the National Historic
District of Trinidad. The couple worked on the house with Teresa’s business
partner and sister and opened last July. "The house is really
inviting," says Teresa. "Passersby stop and ask us if we have rooms
available."
The intimacy of a B&B is what attracts most visitors and draws owners
from disparate careers and parts of the country to the industry. Some owners
live on the premises and others have purchased houses next door or built spaces
onto the property so that they’re close by if needed by guests but not
stepping on anybody’s toes.
Across the Front Range B&B owners talk of previous careers as
psychologists, lawyers, newspaper people, teachers, bookstore owners, and
salesmen who sought a change of pace, a relaxed lifestyle. And while running a
B&B is difficult work, owners say they have found what they were looking for
and are eager to share that comfort in their surroundings with others.
Depending on the time of year, guests can be Colorado neighbors or from a
variety of states and countries. "This time of year we get a lot of guests
from within a 50-mile radius," says Donna Anderson. "The nice thing
about Manitou Springs is that you feel like you’re 100 miles away because it
has such a different pace but you feel comfortable leaving the kids at home with
a babysitter. Our world is really fast-paced. Couples have two jobs and are
juggling highly stressful lives. They’re not coming just for lodging; they’re
coming for shared time. They’re looking for a getaway that brings time for
each other; to have an experience, something to share together. Around May most
of the locals avoid Manitou because of the influx of out-of-town
travelers."
 Many B&Bs suggest that guests leave children under the age of 12 at home
though some locations market cabins to small families and permit pets. The
Internet now allows guests to take virtual tours of B&Bs before arriving so
that they can select the type of rooms and homes that fit their needs. Most of
the historic Victorian B&Bs across the Front Range are outfitted with
antiques, some have four-poster beds, and many have oriental rugs. The effect is
subtle elegance. On the exterior, Victorians range in size and color, from
expansive homes with many colors to smaller, cottage-type homes that are
brightly adorned.
Some say the number of colors painted on a Victorian signaled the wealth of
its owners and Lisa Kolb was told that the top piece of the house’s knoll
posts was the last thing to arrive at the house once the builder had received
final payment. The Lenox House is frequently featured in tours hosted by the
Historical Society since it has the original rod iron fencing, a wrap-around
porch, and three pieces of original stained glass. These pieces of history add a
touch of romance to Victorians and appeal to travelers who seek comfortable,
unique accommodations.
"In every pocket of every old city you will find historic Victorian
B&Bs," says Lisa.
 In Colorado 26 percent of 102 members from the Bed & Breakfast Innkeepers
of Colorado operate buildings built prior to 1900 and 25 percent operate in
buildings built between 1900 and 1930. To see the preservation of these
buildings and the way in which owners renovate them is its own journey. All of
the B&Bs contacted for this story are historic Victorians, although each
home reflects the style of its time and its new owners.
When the Andersons replaced the ceiling fans with light fixtures Donna
researched the period to find authentic lighting. Theresa Vila tapped local
sources from The Picket Wire Old House Support Group to find reproduction push
button switches for her lights to ensure that "it looked exactly the way it
did before." Some guests walk around historic Victorian B&Bs, asking
questions about the era, when the house was built and by whom. Others tromp
right upstairs to their rooms, reemerging for breakfast and a quick trip out the
door. Both types of visitors are welcomed by B&B owners, who themselves come
from different walks of life and take different approaches to running their
businesses. Most say they were seeking a change of life when they embarked on
the enterprise. Likewise most guests are seeking a change of pace. It’s nice
that both find it in the same place along the Front Range.
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